Delay in naming of CIC chief: Activists slam Centre

With the appointment of a new Chief Information Commissioner hanging fire for almost seven months now, the Centre today came in for criticism from activists who charged that the delay was deliberate and an attempt to weaken the Central Information Commission.
The National Campaign for Peoples' Right to Information (NCPRI) condemned the delay in the appointment of the Chief Information Commissioner, the dilution of the Lokpal Act and Whistleblowers Protection Act and the non-introduction of a legislative framework for grievance redressal.
NCPRI also objected to the recent order of the CIC in which it closed the case related to non-compliance with the RTI Act by political parties after noting that it did not have the requisite powers to ensure compliance with its orders.

"The post of the Chief Information Commissioner in the Central Information Commission has been vacant for more than seven months, since August 22, 2014.
"In the absence of a chief, appeals and complaints related to critical public authorities like the PMO, Cabinet Secretariat and the ministries of defence, HRD, steel and power are not being heard as these are allocated to the chief's bench," said Wajahat Habibullah, a former Chief Information Commissioner.
At present, more than 13,000 appeals and complaints related to these public authorities are pending before the chief's bench, he said.

Activist Aruna Roy alleged that the delay in appointing the chief was deliberate.

"When activists tried to access details, under the RTI Act, of the search committee constituted to shortlist names for appointment of the Chief Information Commissioner, they were informed that 'minutes of meetings have not been recorded in the file... Since minutes have not been recorded, undersigned is not aware as to who attended those meetings'," Roy said.
NCPRI's Anjali Bhardwaj said that the appointment process was completely opaque and in violation of the Supreme Court's orders for the naming of Information Commissioners.
She also said that the delay in the appointment of the chief was a clear attempt by the government to weaken the institution of the Central Information Commission.

"The transparent, accountable and efficient governance promised in the BJP manifesto will come to pass only if the RTI Act is implemented properly... A tool like the RTI Act is the very basis of democracy and the (Narendra) Modi government should use (these) to deliver clean and efficient governance to people," said Habibullah.